What are some of the legal ways to establish paternity?
Paternity can be established in the following ways: •Voluntary acknowledgement process – Both the mother and father complete a form known as an Affidavit of Parentage; this document becomes a legal finding of paternity. If there are any doubts about who is the father of the child, neither party should sign an Affidavit of Parentage. Either parent can request genetic testing to assist in determining the father of the child. Paternity should be established through the courts once genetic testing determines the father. •Civil or criminal paternity action – A court of law establishes the paternity of the child, and in most cases, a child support order is entered.
